A match-clinching Daly Cherry-Evans field goal and a hat-trick from James Tedesco have propelled the Sydney Roosters to a thrilling 23-22 win over an injury-smashed Newcastle.
In one of the games of the season, the Knights were brave at home throughout, while losing Origin back-rower Dylan Lucas to a dislocated and suspected broken left ankle in the first period and star half Dylan Brown to a worrying knee injury early in the second.
If the title favourites Penrith have wobbled over the weeks around State of Origin, the high-flying Roosters have been building and Friday night's win was their fifth in a row - the competition's best record in that period - taking them up to second on the ladder.
"That's tough at the moment," Newcastle coach Justin Holbrook said.
"It could have been one of one of our best wins tonight with what we had to deal with ... and that's why it's so devastating for myself to sit here now with a side that you can be so close to being so happy and yet we're not.
"The docs, physio is not thinking it's good (on Brown), but cross my fingers and hope we get some good news with the scans.
"(With Lucas) he's dislocation straight away, and so that's back in, which is good. But just got to see how much damage around that's been done as well."
Newcastle, who were already without injured skipper Kalyn Ponga, have now lost their last three games and remain sixth.
The game started at breakneck speed worthy of a finals match and it took 15 minutes for Tedesco to open the scoring with a brilliant stepping try through the heart of the hosts' defence.
The Knights bounced back within 10 minutes when Francis Manuleleua burst onto a peach of a Brown pass 30 metres out to power over for his first NRL try.
Undeterred by the injury to Lucas, Newcastle took the lead approaching the half hour mark when hulking middle forward Mat Croker pushed off Tedesco and Reece Robson to score.
Watch all the highlights as the Knights take on the Roosters in Round 21 - https://t.co/vJWa2L6fKD pic.twitter.com/HVXHRa2Oig
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The second term began with more drama when Egan Butcher was placed on report for a shoulder to the head of Manuleleua, who was forced from the field for a head injury assessment (HIA).
Tedesco had a double shortly after, but when Sam Walker missed the conversion things were all locked up at 10-10.
Nat Butcher joined his brother on report when an errant swinging arm caught Tyson Frizell on the nose, sending the veteran for a HIA.
Newcastle responded again, Fletcher Hunt sending Dom Young over, before Brown's injury, only for Tedesco to nab his third try, backing up a break from Nat Butcher.
Billy Smith put the Roosters in front on 68 minutes, but the Knights levelled when Manuleleua again burst into the backfield before unleashing Bradman Best with six minutes remaining.
Enter the game's most clutch field goal kicker to seal the win as veteran Cherry-Evans kicked the 31st of his career in the 77th minute.
"We had some really good players tonight, and then we had ones that were a little bit off and you know Teddy said, 'hold my beer, I'll score three'", Tricolours coach Trent Robinson said.
"So it's a nice way for Teddy to come back in and we needed it to be honest. So yeah, it's pretty special."
The Roosters weren't without their injury woes, losing Egan Butcher with a calf problem and Daniel Tupou with a shoulder complaint.
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